A typical facial recognition system is a computer application used for automatically identifying or verifying a person from a digital image or a video frame. One of the ways to carry out this task is by comparing selected facial features from the image with a database containing facial related data. It is typically used for security applications and is quite often supplemented by comparing also other biometrical characteristics such as fingerprint and eye iris.
Some facial recognition algorithms have been developed that are able to identify faces by extracting landmarks, or features, from an image of the subject's face. For example, an algorithm may analyze the relative position, size, and/or shape of the eyes, nose, cheekbones, and jaw. These features are then used to search for other images with matching features. Other algorithms normalize a gallery of face images and then compress the face data, only saving the data in the image that is useful for face detection. A probe image is then compared with the face data.
Typically, in the field of computer security, the user's access to a computerized system during a login process is controlled by identifying the user through the use of security credentials provided by the user. Mobile computing devices (e.g. mobile devices such as laptops, smart phones) may be locked or otherwise secured to prevent their unauthorized usage, and during the login process a user is required to perform some affirmative action (e.g., enter a password, type a key combination, move the mouse, swipe a finger across the screen, etc.) to unlock the computer.
US2003215114 for example, describes a security system that utilizes an identity verification system having a biometrics component, such as a face, fingerprint, or iris recognition system. The system connects a biometric data entry device such as a standard analogue or digital camera to a communication control device which captures, compresses and digitizes the biometric data as well as converts data from data input devices and sends the compressed and digitized biometric data along with the data from a data input device to a central processing unit for processing by a biometric recognition system and comparison to stored biometric data.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,261,090 describes a method of logging a user to a mobile computing device by receiving an image of the user via a camera coupled with the mobile computing device and determining the identity of the user based on the received image. If the determined identity which is based on the received image matches a predetermined identity, then, if the identity of the user matches the predetermined identity, the user may be logged in to the mobile computing device.
US 20130015946 discloses methods for authenticating a user to a mobile computing device. Upon receiving a user's request to unlock a mobile device in a locked state, one or more images of the face of the user are captured. Facial components of the user from the one or more captured images are extracted and then a determination is made as to whether the user is an authorized user or a unauthorized user based on a comparison of the facial components of the user extracted from the one or more captured images to facial components of the authorized user from one or more authentication images of the authorized stored on the mobile device. If the user is determined to be an authorized user, the mobile device unlocks; otherwise, the mobile device is maintained in its locked state.
US 20120235790 describes a method by which a locked mobile device is configured to capture an initial image using its camera, capture a new image in response to detecting movement of the device, determine that the device moved to a use position, capture a subsequent image in response to determining that the device moved to a use position, analyze the subsequent image to detect a user's face, and unlock the device in response to detecting that the user's face is of the authorized user.
However, none of the proposed methods adequately address the practical need of reducing consumption of the device resources to a minimum, while gaining a secured access to the mobile computing device which is in a locked mode, all without adversely affecting the user experience.